Money laundering is probably not something that the average person or business owner spends a lot of time thinking about, but it’s something that could potentially affect everyone in society when it is not monitored and allowed to run rampant. Money laundering takes place when an individual or business attempts to conceal funds that were obtained illegally by funneling it through banks or businesses. It’s important for you to understand money laundering if you run a business because you could unwittingly help someone launder money, ruining both your business’ reputation and the economy by doing it.
There are a number of ways money laundering can have an impact on society as a whole. For example, oftentimes real property will be purchased through what is known as the real sector, a term that covers a vast array of physical goods, notes ESC Corporate Services. By purchasing property, artworks, vehicles and more using illegally gained funds, the value of these items becomes artificially inflated, creating the illusion of a demand when it doesn’t necessarily exist.
In the external sector, which includes imports and exports, it can kill the competitiveness that is at play in the business world. When illegal funds are used to purchase and import luxury goods to launder money, it can reduce profitability for many companies domestically by artificially lowering the prices of imported items, making these foreign products more competitively priced against locally made items.
While money laundering may take place behind the scenes, it can have some devastating consequences on many different aspects of society that are more obvious and distinct.
If you run a business that operates in any capacity in Latin America, you should protect your reputation and make sure money laundering isn’t adversely affecting you. SMG Consulting Services offers anti-money laundering services that can help to protect you from criminal groups who may attempt to launder money through your company, as well as brand protection services that can help to seek out and identify any person or organization who may be tarnishing your reputation by selling knockoff products or using your name to launder funds.
Don’t put your company at risk. Trust the professionals at SMG Consulting Services to investigate and protect your company and your assets. Contact us today to learn more about money laundering and to find out how we can help keep your business operations in Mexico and Central America secure.
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